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Thank you for visiting the Envision 2045 site.  The Comprehensive Plan is the County’s long-range policy document. It provides a twenty-year vision and guide for future physical, economic, and social development for the entire county, and contains maps, goals, policies, and implementation actions that guide decisions about the County’s future, in particular land use decisions. State law requires that the Comprehensive Plan address a range of topics, and that it be updated every 10 years. The update process will take approximately two years to prepare the updated Comprehensive Plan for approval in 2025. 

 

NEW!  View a short, 3-minute informational video explaining the Coconino County Comprehensive Plan 10-Year Update and how you can help - click here.

The Comprehensive Plan is: 

  • An expression of the community’s vision for the future  
  • A statement of county goals and policies 
  • A guide to public and private decision making 
  • A long-term perspective 
  • A blueprint to improve resident’s quality of life 
  • A legal requirement under Arizona State Law 
  • A work plan for amending and updating ordinances, such as the zoning ordinance 

The Comprehensive Plan is not: 

  • A zoning ordinance, regulatory, or tax code 
  • A specific area or community plan (see adopted Area Plans for that type of detail)  
  • Unchangeable  
 

County Communities

This map provides context into all that Coconino County encompasses. Displaying the various incorporated and unincorporated communities within the county as well as some of the land uses and jurisdictions, including Indigenous Nations, National Forest, Parks, and Private Lands. Providing context into such a large area is important as we create a roadmap for it all.

 

Project Phases

Phase I: Data Collection and Analysis

Winter - Fall 2023

Phase II: Educate and Envision

 Winter 2023 - Spring 2025

We are in this phase now.

Phase III: Review Process & Plan Adoption

Summer - Winter 2025

Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group

The Coconino County Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group (CPAG) is an informal, temporary group invited by the Board of Supervisors to represent the diversity of the County.  The role of the CPAG is advisory and will provide recommendations on the updated goals, policies, maps, and implementation strategies of the Comprehensive Plan Update, Envision 2045 to the Board of Supervisors, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and staff. 

The members are:

Miranda

Baldosky

Tyanna

Burton

William

Cordasco - Chair

Jeannie

Gross

Laura

Huenneke

Diana

Kessler

Michael

Mongini

Judy

Nelson

Jim

Parks  - Vice-chair

Aaron 

Secakuku 

Rose

Toehe

 

The CPAG began meeting in August, 2024 and will generally meet monthly on the third Thursday of the month, until the plan is completed.  See the "Events and Meetings" dropdown for meeting agendas, links to the meetings, and meeting recordings.

Below is the tentative review schedule for the draft Comprehensive Plan chapters.  Note that the draft chapters will be available on this site after CPAG review and subsequent revisions.  Comments on chapter drafts may be submitted to the CDAG by emailing staff at mshaw@coconino.az.gov. 



Chapters Sustainability, Resilience, Energy, & Climate Water Resources Diverse Cultures and Community Character Natural Environment Circulation & Transportation Land Use, Growth, and Development Parks, Open Space, Trails & Recreation Community Services, Public Safety, and Partnerships Resilient Economies and Housing
CPAG review date  9/26/2024 9/26/2024 10/17/2024 10/17/2024 11/25/2024 1/16/2025 1/16/2025 2/20/2025 2/20/2025


     
Draft Comprehensive Plan Chapters

The draft Comprehensive Plan chapters, goals, and policies will be posted after the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group (CPAG) has reviewed revisons to the first draft; click on the titles to review the current chapter drafts.  Please join the CPAG meetings and hear the discussion as they continue to review the chapters.  Comments from the public will be heard from those attending meeting in-person during the public comment period, and may also be submitted to the CPAG by emailing mshaw@coconino.az.gov.  See the CPAG agendas for meeting dates and links.  Once a complete draft is available additional outreach, public workshops, and the 60-day public review and comment period will begin. 

Sustainability, Resilience, Energy, and Climate

Water Resources

Events and Meetings

Open House: April 30, 2024 @ Fort Valley Campus

Open House at The Fort Valley Campus | April 30, 2024

Community input, food, raffle... that was the Open House. We were happy to host the community and give everyone an update as we continue moving forward in the drafting processs!

County Fair at the County Fairgrounds

County Fair at the County Fairgrounds in Fort Tuthill Park | September 1st – 4th, 2023
Public participation from all geographic areas of the county is key to creating a successful plan, and county staff was at the Fair!  We engaged with about 800 fair-goers and talked about the Envision 2045 process.  Many took an intercept survey, signed up for the mailing list, played with the puzzle map, or just learned about the Comprehensive Plan.  Thanks to everyone who visited our booth. 

Future Meetings

Check back frequently for updates on future events

Public participation from all geographic areas of the county is key to creating a successful plan. We need to hear from you!  Look for the Envision 2045 Banner and talk to staff for more information about the plan, activities, and surveys.

What We Have Learned - Surveys and Focus Group Discussions

During the fall of 2023 and winter of 2024, county staff traveled across the county to conduct over 29 small focus group discussions with invited community members.  During the focus group we've learned about ideas for the values, vision, needs, issues, trends for the future, and solutions that could be considered in the Envison 2045 update.  During February, 2024, a community wide survey was conducted to test the relevance of the focus group discussion summary data and generally found that residents living in unincorporated Coconino County share the same values, vision, needs and issues identified during the focus groups.  

Review the Community Survey Report, Focus Group Summary Report, and the notes from each focus group discussion here, where you may add your comments. 

Community Survey Report

Focus Group Discussion Summary Report

Focus Group Interview Notes: The final summaries of what we learned at our various Focus Groups across the County can be found here: Alpine Ranchos, Winslow West, Leupp Corner, Glittering Mountain, and Twin Arrows | Arizona Strip Communities | Bellemont and Parks | Blue Ridge, Happy Jack, Clint's Well and Stoneman Lake | Community at Large | Doney Park, Timberline and Fernwood | Environmental Groups | Forest Lakes | Fort Valley, 180 Scenic Corridor and County at Large | Fredonia and White Sage | Greenehaven | Highway 89, Gray Mountain, and Cameron | Indigenous Nations Focus Circle | Kachina Village, Mountain Aire, and Forest Highlands | KEW/Westwood Ranches | Mormon Lake and Lake Mary | Munds Park | NAU | Oak Creek Canyon | Ranchers | Red Lake | Tuba City | Tuba City Library | Western Regional Navajo Nation Fair | Valle 

Check out these documents! Compilation of Community Engagement Opportunities | Theme Summary Tables from Focus Groups

High School Focus Group Notes: The final summaries of what we learned at our various High School Focus Groups across the County can be found here: Fredonia HS | Page HS | Ponderosa HS | Tse Yaato HS

Documents

Stay informed about what documents have been developed for this project and how they will be used going forward. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

The Comprehensive Plan serves as a roadmap for the future by establishing a long-term county vision along with goals and policies to guide land use decisions, direct growth and community programs responsibly, identify solutions, and improve the quality of life for county residents. 

Why does the County need a Comprehensive Plan?

Arizona Revised Statute 11-804 requires that all counties must adopt, or readopt, a comprehensive plan which shall be developed so as to conserve the natural resources of the county, to ensure efficient expenditure of public monies and to promote the health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the public. 

Does the County already have a Comprehensive Plan?

The current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2015.  State statutes require that a County’s Comprehensive Plan be updated every 10 years. This mandated timeline benefits the community by ensuring that the Comprehensive Plan remains responsive to changing conditions, new trends, issues, and unforeseen influences. Planning for the future based on a shared vision for the physical, economic and social development is good for the county community, it benefits residents, sets priorities for county budgets and work plans, and identifies implementation actions that guide the County’s future. 

What topic areas does the Comprehensive Plan cover?

The Coconino County Comprehensive Plan includes the following topic areas, described as "Elements" in the Plan, each with its own chapter.  

  • Sustainability & Resiliency 

  • Natural Environment 

  • Water Resources 

  • Land Use & Growth 

  • Community Character 

  • Economic Development 

  • Parks, open Space, Trails & Recreation 

  • Community Services 

  • Public Safety 

  • Circulation 

  • Energy 

  • Implementation 

What is the difference between the County's Comprehensive Plan & the Flagstaff Regional Plan?

Both are long range planning documents that contain goals and policies used to guide our community toward achieving a vision for the future.  The Coconino County Comprehensive Plan is the twenty-year vision for the future of the entire county and is the county’s primary reference for making land use and other decisions.  It is supplemented by detailed area plans and other planning documents that are adopted as amendments to it.  One of those is the Flagstaff Regional Plan.

The Flagstaff Regional Plan compliments the County’s Comprehensive Plan. The Flagstaff region is home to the majority of the County’s population, and, like an area plan, the Regional Plan provides a more granular and specific level of detail for the greater Flagstaff (metropolitan) area than the Comprehensive plan.  The two documents work together to provide a vision and direction for future development. 

The Regional Plan is currently being updated, and County Staff is working with City Staff on the update to this shared document. For more information about the Flagstaff Regional Plan, visit the website here: Flagstaff Regional Plan 2045 (arcgis.com).

What does it mean if my community has an Area Plan?

An Area Plan is an official amendment to the Comprehensive Plan approved and adopted by the Board of Supervisors that pertains to a specific geographically defined area be it a community, specific neighborhood, or a rural area. Similar to the Comprehensive Plan, an Area Plan reflects the local resident’s vision for the future, contains goals and policies for development and provides guidance for decision makers at a more detailed and granular level. Area Plans are created through an extensive public participation process.  

How can I get involved?

Sign-up for emails to get notifications about upcoming events and to receive news about the project.  Visit the Comprehensive Plan booth at public events to talk to staff about the project or attend an Open House Event to share your thoughts with us.  Stay informed by visiting the project website frequently, and contribute by responding to survey questions posed throughout the project.  

How does my input make a difference?

In order to know what to maintain, enhance or change, the county needs your input to provide direction.  Improving the quality of life for our residents, communities and the natural environment that we all share and value is the reason to get involved in the development of the policy document that guides the County’s future land use, social and economic decisions.  

Melissa Shaw

Coconino County Planning and Zoning

mshaw@coconino.az.gov

Jess McNeely

Coconino County Planning and Zoning

wmcneely@coconino.az.gov